C.C. Sabathia is happy he's getting another chance to face the Boston Red Sox.
The Indians ace wasn't his usual self in Cleveland's 10-3 loss to Boston in Game 1 of the American League championship series, giving up eight runs, seven hits and five walks in just 4 1-3 innings. He gave up three consecutive singles in the first inning, then loaded the bases in the four-run third and again in the three-run fifth.
"I was disappointed in the first game in Boston that I wasn't able to keep us in the game. That's something I've been able to do all year," said Sabathia, a strong candidate for the AL Cy Young Award after going 19-7 in the regular season.
"I didn't even give us a chance the other day, and that's something that I was definitely disappointed about," he said. "I just didn't make pitches. I didn't execute them when I needed to. I got into some tough situations, and didn't deliver."
But Sabathia's teammates have gotten him a do-over. The Indians have won the last three games, and the big lefty will take the mound Thursday night knowing he can clinch a trip to the World Series for Cleveland. Josh Beckett will pitch for Boston.
"Everybody is going to be excited," Sabathia said Wednesday. "I've been doing a pretty good job of being able to keep my emotions under control, staying even keel all year. I look to stay calm and stay in control and not try to overthrow and do so much. I think I'll be fine."
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WHAT'S COOKIN: Colorado's Aaron Cook hasn't started since Aug. 10, but the Rockies are contemplating putting him on their World Series roster.
Cook, the team's opening-day starter, went on the disabled list Aug. 16 with a left oblique strain. He made one rehab start at Triple-A Colorado Springs in September, and when the injury bothered him again, he was shut down for the remainder of the regular season.
Cook was healthy enough to be added to the roster for the NL championship series against Arizona, but the Rockies decided not to include him.
Cook went 8-7 with a 4.12 ERA for the Rockies this season. He had a complete-game win over San Diego on July 25 in which he threw only 74 pitches.
"This will definitely be our toughest decision," pitching coach Bob Apodaca said after a team workout Wednesday.
Rockies manager Clint Hurdle would love nothing more than to see how Cook fares in a real-game setting. However, he's going to have to make the decision based on simulated games this week.
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